Diabetes Educator & Coordinator

Jane says that she has been blessed to work in St. Vincent Healthcare’s mission-driven environment for over 34 years. Since joining the Diabetes Center, she has been inspired by her patients.

"At one workshop there was a gentleman in his 30's, who needed to start insulin, but shared that he was very afraid," she recalls. "At a break, I saw a little girl who went up to him and said 'I can show you how to do your shots, I do them every day'. By the end of the weekend, the man had tried a practice shot and said he was ready to call his doctor and proceed with insulin."

As a nurse, Jane works with not only patients, but also parents, spouses and other caregivers. She teaches them how to give and adjust medications, check blood glucose levels and what to do when glucose levels go too low or too high. Most importantly, she focuses on how to manage the disease.

"The unfortunate long term complications that we hear about are not from diabetes, but UNCONTROLLED diabetes," she notes. "It is not automatic that people will get these long-term complications; they can continue to lead long and healthy lives with diabetes."